Bible: Deuteronomy 28:47-57

The Curse of Military Siege

28:47 “Becauseyou have notservedthe Lordyour Godjoyfullyand wholeheartedlywith the abundanceof everythingyou have,28:48instead in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and poverty1you will serveyour enemieswhomthe Lordwill sendagainst you. They2 will placean ironyokeonyour neckuntilthey have destroyedyou.28:49The Lordwill raiseup a distantnationagainstyou, one from the other side of the earth3asthe eagleflies,4a nationwhoselanguageyou will notunderstand,28:50a nationof sternappearance thatwill have noregardfor the elderlyorpityfor the young.28:51They5 will devourthe offspringof your livestockand the produceof your soiluntilyou are destroyed. They will notleaveyou with any grain, new wine, olive oil, calves of your herds,6or lambsof your flocks7untilthey have destroyedyou.28:52They will besiegeallof your villages8untilall of your highand fortifiedwallscollapse– those in whichyouput your confidencethroughoutthe land. They will besiegeallyour villagesthroughoutthe landthe Lordyour Godhasgivenyou.28:53You will theneatyour own offspring,9the fleshof the sonsand daughtersthe Lordyour Godhasgiven you, because of the severityof the siege10by whichyour enemieswill constrictyou.28:54The manamong you who is by naturetenderand sensitivewill turn againsthis brother, his belovedwife, and his remainingchildren.28:55He willwithholdfrom allof themhis children’sfleshthathe iseating(since there isnothing else left), because of the severityof the siegeby whichyour enemywill constrict11you in your villages.28:56Likewise, the most12 tenderand delicateof your women, whowould neverthinkof puttingeven the soleof her footonthe groundbecause of her daintiness,13will turn againsther beloved husband, her sonsand daughters,28:57and will secretly eather afterbirth14and her newbornchildren15(sinceshe has nothing else),16 becauseof the severityof the siegeby whichyour enemywill constrictyou in your villages.